Options in PA?

ODFL linehaul.

 

If you're in central PA anywhere near Harrisburg, you may want to look up J.P. Donmoyer/ F.T. Silfies. They are a dry bulk tanker company leased to Quality Carriers. I think they now hire graduates of Hacc and a few other schools. And they're advertising a $4K sign on bonus. They have local home daily, and regional work. They also have dry van work.

I worked at Donmoyer a few years ago before Silfies bought Donmoyer. Was a great experience, and led me to where I am now.

 

Some SNI dedicated accounts pay fine and get you home every weekend, others are not so great. I'm not sure what they have going on over in PA. I do not recommend SNI "regular" regional, pay is too low.

PI&I in Sharon does Flatbed. I'd work for them before TMC

 

PI&I is quickly sliding fown the tubes, according to all the PI&I drivers I talk to. And since I live in the area, I talk to the guys who should know.

OP, depending on which area of "central PA" you live in, and what type of trailer most interests you, I can point you to a few good regional outfits.

Transport America has "service centers" in Mechanicsburg, PA and North Jackson, OH (just west of Youngstown). I drove for them a few years back, and they treated me very well. Got home every weekend, unless I screamed and hollered for a weekend load. I'm not sure if they still have a training program, you'll have to call and ask.

Watsontown Trucking Company out of Milton, PA (off of I-80) has clean trucks and generally happy drivers. Not sure if they hire students, either, but a phone call won't hurt.

Smith Transport out of Roaring Springs (by Altoona, PA) runs vans ans I think a few reefers. Possibly even a few water bottles still for the gas industry. They DO take students, but expect to see an unfortunate amount of the New England area.

Swift, Schnieder, and Knight all have terminals in the Harrisburg/Carlisle area. Swift has flatbeds as well as the regular box trailers. So does Knight, but they are limited to a specific dedicated account. Schneider offers dry bulk and liquid tankers as well as the standard box freight.

Ronald Gross in the Butler, PA region always has his eye out for a good, dependable driver, but you need experience first (one year, I think). He prefers steel hauling experience, so if you are considering him, go to TMC or Maverick as your starter outfit. Just remember that as you drag that tarp across that grubby coil, Ron Gross runs covered wagons. Tarping for the lazy-minded!

Keen Transport is based out of Carlisle, but they also require experience. If you want to go heavy haul with them, start again with Maverick or TMC.

Also look at some of the companies in OH, MD, or even VA. If their trucks cross on I-80 or the turnpike, they'll probably be interested.

 

Too bad to hear, last I heard they were a decent outfit.

 

They used to be. But the old man is on s major growth at any cost kick. Wants to beat Pat Gallagher before he croaks, I guess.

 

Where do you live?

 

Silfies is still around? I thought AR bought silfies. Around eastern PA, I see old silfies tanks being pulled by AR, the silfies names were removed, but the outline remains.

I remember when silfies would pull out of the Heidelberg plant by lake ontelaunne as what seemed to be a dedicated carrier. Then one day silfies just stopped and Venezia moved in.

 

That's the best bet, Old Dominion Freight Line, and they hire new cdl grads.